Berlin is NOT Germany

Today marks exactly two weeks since I first stepped foot in Berlin, and about 2 1/2 weeks since I first flew into Germany. A lot has happened within those two weeks. Many of my initial goals have seen improvement over these weeks and despite my ignorance to the cultural “ins and outs” of Berlin, I’ve grown surprisingly comfortable with the city. The city is certainly a melting pot of cultures, as is evident by walking down the street, looking at the various shops, or even taking public transportation (which I have grown accustomed very to). That is one thing that I’ve gotten a better handle on—public transportation. My first experience with Berlin, or even German, trains and buses was with two bulging suitcases and a backpack that felt like it weighed a ton, so it was not as enjoyable as I would have hoped. Since then, all I’ve needed to carry around the city has been a backpack at the least, which almost seems like a necessity, since I am out and about all day. From school to my and David’s many excursions, the culture of Berlin definitely shines through (even through the many cloudy days that have been forecasted for these next two weeks 🙁 I think the multicultural feel of the city has eased my transition into living in a foreign country. I definitely feel as though I am one of the many people in Berlin who are still figuring out how to handle everyday life in a new city. I don’t feel so isolated and there are a host of people who are willing to help a tourist, who looks like a “deer in the headlights”.

However, despite looking like a lost tourist, I have been adjusting well to my new norms because I have kept myself busy whether it be planning for potential trips or taking mini-excursions within the city itself. Berlin is such a large city that I doubt I will ever have the possibility of seeing every corner of it, but thats the hope. It’s stunning to me that two weeks ago I couldn’t even imagine being able to navigate throughout the city even with Google/Apple Maps, but now I am familiar enough to get to and from school everyday plus certain places within the city. David and I packed our week full of excursions and have been checking-off places from our list which are more enjoyable to do outside since Fall is coming fast. Plus, swimming in the Wannsee (an S-Bahn stop away from my house) in the middle of Novemeber would be a slightly different experience than in early September. There are probably plenty of places that have been accidentally omitted from our list of “must-see” sights, but even without them our list is long enough to fill two semesters worth of excursions.

I hope my German has improved, even in the two weeks of classes I’ve had. It is a whole other level of German having to keep my brain on focus for 3 hours of class, plus speaking in German every day for breakfast and lunch with my host family. It’s funny—I find my ears perking when I hear people speaking English on the S-Bahn or passing me on the street. The longing for something familiar is probably a good sign; a sign that my brain has been working on all cylinders and needs some relief. Even writing this blog has taken me longer than expected, not because I am getting confused with the German also bouncing around in my brain, but because of the sheer mental effort it takes to keep my brain functioning. Yawning has become a habit, now.

In regard to my continued faith life, David and I manged to visit the local ELFK congregation in Teltow, which is just outside Berlin, in the Bundes of Brandenburg. The ELFK congregation was very small, but a solid group of people, even including a fellow ministerial school grad, Paul Hübener from MLS. After attending, I realized that is something that I’ve missed while being in a foreign culture and country; Christian fellowship. Although, both sides of the conversation were not even close to fluency in the other’s native tongue, Pastor Hübener, David, and I were able to talk a bit before and after the service. It was refreshing to talk with someone outside America who holds to the same beliefs as ours. My impressions of Berlin have been different than my typical picture of what Germany looks like, and that is why Berlin is NOT Germany. It’s its own culture, people, and place. Das ist alles für jetzt, tschüss!